Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1887-08-25
ELECTRIC LIGHT MATTERS.
~Honest John" IndAages in Some
Remarks.

EDITOR ALERT want the privilege
of asking some members of the common
'council few questions. Mr.. Klaus Of
fers to furnish tins city Is lights at $95
a light each year for ten years. That
amounts to 81 ,425;a year, or, in ten years,
to $14,25O. Mr.. Durstine offers to put
in the same liglt for $124.50 light each
year; that amounts to $1,967.5O year,
'or, in ten years, to $1S,675. That makes
Mr.. Durstine's' lights cost tine city $4,42s
more than Mr.. Klaus.
suppose shat, averaging up the next
ten years, fine city will need about Is
lights year lighting the sstreets. New,
I own house and lot and some other
property IN the second ward, and I want
to ask Alderman Hughes what right he
has to make me help pay $1S,675 taxes
when the, city could get the same light
for $l425O? I have heard that Mr. Dur
stine's bid was accepted because he Of
fered to furnish light to private parties
cheaperithan Mr. Klaus. Now, I want to
know how the city is going to tx the
price which Mr.. Durstine can charge MIR.
Ingraham for electric lights in the Cap
ital house? If you can make Mr.. Dur
stine give me electricity as cheap, why
don t you make MI. Shoenberg and MIR.
Bowman sell coal oil little chaaper?
What business is it of the city OF James
town whether I or anybody else pays II
cents "a pound for meat and 25 cents for
three ,loaves of bread and 11a CENTS an
hour for electric light in my house. or
pay m-cents for meat, 21 cents for hsead,
and 81 of a cent for light? Would mot
your ordinance or contract with Mr.
Durstine, fixing rates to private consum-
ers, he, just SO much waste paper
But supposing you could make MIR.
Durstine sell Mr.. Ingraham electricity at
SO melah per hour, then your argument Is
that the city ought to pay more IN orsier
that pr;vate consumers may pay a Little
less. Now, I live back from the main
streets, and am one OF those who ere
classed among the poar people. Wher 1t
! comes to voting, however, we are IN the
majority, and can 'git tiaar" just tie
same. T am told that in Chicago, NIL
| waukee, and other Large cities wheEe
| electric fights have been used for some
years, that not more than toae house In
| ten is ierted with them. I don't sup
pose shall see any electric Eight IN my
house for several years; an electric lgh1
i would lock- rather out of place in my
| house, anyhow, although it Mozld set Oh
\ the rag carpet on the floor and the pine
\ table I am whiting on, in great style.
\ like the idea of having the city lighted
by electricity, and am willing to pay my
share towards It; but don't believe that
I ought to be made to help pay ~ '425
1benus, so that Messrs. Watson and Dr1s.
coll, and few other "leading citizens
may light their parlorsa few cents a week
cheaper than they otherwise could.
I voted for Mr.. Hughes last spring
had to, like all the other railroaders
Now Y want to ask him and Mr.. Dr1scol]
whether they think they we're elected to
represent all the people of their ward OF
only the upper crust; whether they rep:
resent the interest of the whole city or o1
a few prominent gentlemen living on the
front streets; whether they think it i
right that all the poor people of this
| town and all the vacant lots should be
taxed to pay $4,000 extra, SO that about
fifty families may have cheap lights?
don't ask Alderman Watson any questions
because think know already just about
what he represents in this matter, and
don't ask Alderman Ingraham because
be could not give any reasons for bis vote
! anyhow, except that Mr.. Watson voted
that way. Yours truly,
jamestown, Aug. %, 1887.